The Department of Mathematics of the Florida State University gives a mathematics placement test to each entering freshman. This study examines relationships between the scores attained on the mathematics placement test, other tests measuring ability and achievement, and academic success as reflected by grades earned in University classes. The sample for this study is composed of the students who took the placement test as first-time freshmen in the 1953 summer session, the 1953 fall semester, and the 1954 spring semester. This group was selected because its members have had time to complete a four-year program leading to the baccalaureate degree. / Typescript. / "August, 1958." / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science." / Advisor: Dwight B. Goodner, Professor Directing Paper. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 55-56).

It was with an idea of establishing a tool to aid in vocabulary growth that E. L. Bellhorn, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and the writer, during the summer quarter of 1948 at Florida State University, built a test for ability to recognize and to apply algebraic language. Realizing their inexperience in such an important matter as developing a testing device which would meet the requirements of highly specialized experts in the field of testing, they took no credit in attempting to devise new techniques or devices, but followed rather slavishly the steps in procedure in good test construction. This study grew out of the desire to improve the test items to answer such questions as: 1. how much is student performance affected by the inability to recall an exact word at a specific instant? 2. Can the student choose the right word when it is coupled with a wrong one? 3. What would be the effect if the range of choice of response-words is increased? 4. What would happen if non-verbal items are introduced? / Typescript. / "August, 1950." / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science." / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 62-64).

"Much learning today is based on how well people read. Some retardation among high school students is caused by poor reading habits. Realizing that reading ability is one of the major problems of education, the author decided to perform an experiment in the field of reading. The basis of the experiment was to determine the possibility of using certain materials already present in the Port St. Joe High School and certain methods of instruction for improving reading rate without loss of comprehension. The methods of instruction were designed by the author who was also the experimenter. The materials and methods that were used in the program were designed to decrease the number and time of eye fixations in reading lines on a printed page. Ability to cover a wider span in one eye fixation and decrease the number of eye fixations in reading a printed line is directly related to increased reading rate"--Introduction. / Typescript. / "August, 1952." / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science." / Advisor: Marian Black, Professor Directing Paper. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 21).

Telehealth is needed urgently nationwide, given the COVID-19 pandemic. It isespecially urgent in rural and less populated areas where healthcare access is limited. Currently, because there are no pediatric handwriting assessments validated for telehealth use, the TeleWrite assessment would fill an unmet service need and expand the use of telehealth-based occupational therapy (OT) assessment in pediatric practice. This dissertation explored the preliminary psychometric properties of TeleWrite, a handwriting assessment tool designed to measure the legibility and fluency of handwriting for children in first through third grade administered via telehealth. A series of studies were completed to determine initial interrater reliability, content validity, and clinical utility using classical test theory. The Rasch model of measurement was used to determine the preliminary psychometric properties of TeleWrite using Winsteps® (v. 4.7.0). The quantitative Rasch analysis of TeleWrite included administration of the tool to 148 children from first to third grade. This study tested the initial construct validity (internal validity) and test reliability of TeleWrite using the Rasch model of measurement. The Partial Credit Model (PCM) was used for rating scale analysis because TeleWrite is composed of three distinct scales (handwriting rate, accuracy, and fluency) that differs per task (near point or far point) and per grade level. The Rasch analysis showed a generally good fit with the Rasch unidimensional model, indicating strong construct and internal validity and moderate ability to separate abilities of students reliably in terms of handwriting skills. However, following the Rasch model, a larger sample is necessary to obtain improved calibration, reliability, and validity measures. This study and supported by the literature described the need for a new handwriting evaluation tool validated for telehealth use. The findings of the current research contribute to the literature and OT practice as the first handwriting assessment specifically designed and validated for telehealth use that assesses all pertinent variables of handwriting associated with handwriting difficulties.

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Bibliography: pages 42-44. / Research designed to add to the body of knowledge facilitating the effective management of the human resource in industry has become critical in South Africa at a time when the country is experiencing a shortage of skilled manpower. Assessment centres have long been in use in South Africa as a means of assessing managerial potential. Notwithstanding reports of their predictive validity the process is costly and research pertaining to how managerial potential could be identified at an early stage by less costly means is thus potentially valuable. One such means is biodata, or biographical information, upon which basis the selection of staff has traditionally occurred, in line with the truism that past behaviour is predictive of future success. This study was thus designed to identify the biographical characteristics which distinguish a high managerial potential group from a low managerial potential group, as assessed by an assessment centre.

This study is an investigation of the performance of a discrete latent state model devised by Paulson (1982) to account for signed-number arithmetic test data gathered by Birenbaum and Tatsuoka (1980). One hundred twenty nine students took a test which consists of sixteen item types with four parallel arithmetic items of each type. The present study utilizes the five addition item types of four items each; hence, there are four parallel subtests. Responses to the addition items can be analyzed in terms of two components: the siqn component (is the sign correct?), and the absolute value component (is the size of the answer correct?). Paulson's model describes how students perform on the two components separately and how the component responses are related. This study examines the parallelism of the four subtests, in terms of equality of means, standard deviations, and correlations between all pairs of subtests. Decision consistency between subtests is another useful indicator of measurement reliability, particularly for tests of concept mastery. The model implies that the consistency between any two pairs of subtests should be equal; this implication is tested. The specific numerical values predicted by the model for the means, standard deviations, correlations, and decision consistency indices are tested against the corresponding observed statistics. All the analyses described so far are done separately for both the sign and the absolute value components of the responses. A method to synthesize overall correct response from estimated parameter values of two components is derived and tested against observed values. The results are that "parallel" items within item types are not all parallel and finer characterization would be needed to describe the items completely. However, the deviations from strict parallelism are slight. Paulson's model demonstrates good predictive ability; on both components and on the overall responses. Most of the deviations from the prediction can be attributed to not strictly parallel subtests and estimated parameter values not being the best possible estimates.

For generations--and certainly for the last 30 years--proponents of traditional and progressive philosophies have argued over how best to educate our children. Although this debate is often carried out in the political and academic spheres, the difficulties created by not being able to resolve the differences between the two belief systems become blatantly clear in the pedagogy of early literacy. On the one hand, traditionalists argue for a direct and explicit instructional methodology, and on the other hand, progressives advocate for Whole Language or Balanced Literacy instruction. The classroom often becomes a battlefield as advocates of these opposing schooling paradigms struggle with each other. Differences emerge about which skills and what knowledge are the most important for students to master. Conflicts arise over which methodology is most effective in ensuring that students gain access to bodies of knowledge. The result is that the real world of classroom instruction often becomes a mish-mash of content and strategies that derive from both philosophies. Student assessments frequently contribute to the confusion because they are not aligned with the knowledge and skills students are expected to acquire as well as with the strategies teachers use. Without assessments that are tightly coupled with the underlying philosophy of an instructional program, with classroom practice, and with high-stakes summative assessments, it is extremely difficult for both teachers and administrators to have confidence that they are offering their students the best possible learning opportunities. Interim/benchmark assessments are vital tools for linking classroom instruction with year-end assessments and an essential element of any comprehensive assessment system. Currently, the Dynamic Indicator of Beginning Early Literacy Skills, commonly referred to as DIBELS, is a widely used interim/benchmark assessment. It serves many districts and schools quite well. However, many progressive educators believe that the DIBELS assessment is not well-aligned with a Balanced Literacy approach. In this dissertation the author examines the following essential question about early literacy interim/benchmark assessments: (a) Is the relationship between the assessed level on the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA), which fits within a Balanced Literacy framework, and student's performance on high stakes accountability test as strong as the relationship of DIBELS to these same tests; and (b) does the DRA have a degree of predictive validity comparable to DIBELS? The study demonstrated a strong relationship between the DRA and performance on OAKS and that the DRA has a degree of predictive validity that is comparable to DIBELS. The results from the study support the claim that a curriculum-based measure, such as the DRA, can be used as a literacy screening assessment to detect potential reading difficulties. These results give support to progressive educators who wish to have a viable alternative DIBELS.

The relationship of anxiety in both its state and trait manifestation to simple motor performance has been established in a number of studies. The present study is an attempt to extend these relationships to more complex motor performances, that is, to the level of a unitary group of motor habits such as is present in an athletic task. In doing this the present study utilizes not only direct assessments of both state and trait anxiety, but also assessment of certain personality traits which may be important in mediating the expression of anxiety and activation level.

The improvement of physical performance has long been a problem of great importance to athletes, coaches, and physical educators. Many different methods and techniques of coaching, conditioning, and motivation have been utilized in an effort to push the participant to his top or ultimate performance. There is much conjecture as to whether this optimum or top level of performance can be raised by artificial stimulation after peak condition has been reached and the skills involved in the performance have been mastered. According to Boke, stimulants are widely used today by athletes in all types of competition. He groups the substances used into four classes: (a Food preparations, including the sugars, vitamins, phosphates, and salts; (b) Oxygen; (c) Artificial sunshine; and (d) Pharmaceutical substances, including the ‘dopes’ which influence the nervous system, heart, and circulation.